Chapter 511

Byron saw her confusion, the shock etched on her face. He suppressed a smile, taking her hand. They walked on.

"Byron," Maeve finally asked, "Do all men… do it… in places like this?"

He turned, his dark eyes almost swallowed by the night. "No," he said, the words low and intense.

She didn't believe him. "Then why bring me here? You almost… are men just drawn to… more exciting locations?" Bonnie's words echoed in her mind—men's inherent need for thrill, the reason behind infidelity. Byron, though, was different. Obsessed with cleanliness, he'd never cheat. But this… this place…

Before she could finish her thought, Byron's hand clamped her chin, forcing her gaze upward. "Did I hit the nail on the head?" she muttered.

He didn't answer, his head lowering, the space between them shrinking. His dark eyes met hers, saw her panic. "It's not about excitement," he said, each word deliberate. "It's only you. Without you, nowhere works."

Her heart lurched. A numb wave washed over her, followed by a frantic heartbeat. The youthful fantasy of being loved solely… now had a tangible form. No one but her.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She opened her mouth, but no sound came. Lost in the depth of his gaze, softened by the moonlight, her blood surged. A sudden thought made her flinch. "What about your first love? Couldn't she… do it too?"

His brow furrowed. "You've mentioned this twice. Who are you referring to?"

Before she could reply, a whistle pierced the night. Bedtime.

Disappointment warred with relief. She sensed a precipice, a point of no return. She couldn't bear to cross it. Looking into his eyes earlier, she'd felt it—the profound depth of his love. Even if an illusion, she’d savored it.

The next day, the treasure hunt began. Three treasures, hidden deep within the forest, required map fragments. The kids, predictably, clamored to be in Maeve's group. Will, however, snagged Theo, leaving him partnered with Byron.

Theo slumped beside Byron, a monumental pout on his face.

Byron, unfazed, cupped Theo's chubby cheeks. "Why the long face? Unwilling to be with me?"

"Don't be obvious," Theo scoffed. "Don't you know your place in this family?"

"My place?"

"The least important."

Byron chuckled, a low growl in his voice. He scooped Theo under his arm, a playful swat landing on his bottom. "Let's see who's least important."

"Great Demon King! Let me go!" Theo shrieked, legs kicking.

Maeve chuckled, relieved their usual bickering hadn't erupted. Seeing Byron's mock ferocity, the underlying protectiveness in his arm, eased her worry. It was simply their way.

"Will, let's go," Maeve said. "We can't let your father and Theo beat us."

Will grinned. "I won't let you lose, Mom." Though Theo might try to sabotage Byron, he thought.

Both determined to win, they found a fragment fifteen minutes in. Byron and Theo, however, were a disaster. Theo actively hindered their progress. With one fragment remaining, Maeve heard a sound from behind the bushes.

She moved forward, but Will grabbed her sleeve. "Mom, a steep slope. Don't go near it!" He’d been on high alert, constantly shielding her from danger.

"Will, did you hear that?" she asked. "Someone calling for help?"

A faint, childlike cry, "Help!", drifted from below the slope.

"Mom, someone's down there," Will said, his brow furrowed. "Maybe a fall. Let's get a teacher."

"It sounds like a child," Maeve said. "This isn't high. I'll go look. You call for a teacher."

Will didn't argue. He produced rope from his backpack, tying it around her waist. "Mom, if it's dangerous, pull the rope."

"My smart baby," she murmured, securing the other end to a tree, then descending.

The cries grew louder, a child’s sobbing voice echoing from a cave. A child in a yellow duck outfit knelt beside an unconscious man, surrounded by flowers.

Maeve's heart skipped a beat. "What happened?" she asked.

"My uncle… he's dead. I'm praying," the child sobbed.

Maeve paled. Before she could check the man, he moved. He sat up. Beneath wet, messy hair, a familiar face stared back. A face she'd seen yesterday. A zombie. Terror seized her.